A power outage that shut Heathrow Airport earlier this year, causing travel chaos for more than 270,000 passengers, was caused by a “catastrophic failure” of equipment in a nearby substation, according to a new report.
Experts say the fire at the North Hyde Substation, which supplies electricity to Heathrow, started following the failure of a high-voltage bushing – “most likely” caused by moisture entering the equipment – before spreading.
The report says elevated moisture readings in one of the bushings had been detected in oil samples taken in July 2018, and, according to the National Grid Electricity Transmission’s relevant guidance, such readings indicated “an imminent fault and that the bushing should be replaced”. (Skynews)
